Sports Fest gives chance to try new activities
By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on May 14, 2024.
Lethbridge Sport Council’s Sport Fest not only was for sport organization to gain exposure in the community, but also for attendees to try activities to see whether or not it would be something they would pick up in the future on Saturday at Servus Sports Centre.“It’s an opportunity for parents ,and individuals and families in the community to come out and connect with sports they might not have otherwise connected with and it’s an opportunity for the sport organizations to be able to promote themselves to the community,” said Tanya Whipple, Lethbridge Sport Council communication manager.
Whipple said all of the organizations that are here have different goals and different populations that they’re hoping to attract to their program.
“We have organizations here who are promoting events that they might be hosting, and other ones who are promoting summer camps because it’s that season and others who are just hoping to get the word out about their regular programming,” said Whipple.
A new addition to the Sport Fest this year was Calm Before the Fest before the event was open to all of the public.
“It was just a quieter opportunity for families who had individuals in their family who would benefit from a quieter, calmer environment,” said Whipple.
“We didn’t have any music on, we didn’t have anything scheduled in the come try its. Most of our booths just had a couple of people with them, not all the extras.”
Daniel Carlson attended Sport Fest with his kids Katrina and Alexander to explore the sport options available.
“This one (Katrina) is all about swimming, so we’re going to take a look at the synchronized swimming possibility for her, the other one we’re on the fence with, so we’re not sure yet, we’re going to see what he’s interested in, “said Carlson.
“Kids need exercise, kids need sports, kids need community,” said Carlson ,on the importance of Sport Fest.
Lethbridge Volleyball Club president Mark Dyck said everybody would echo that, when asked about the importance of getting kids introduced to sport at young age.
“Getting kids interested in sport and for kids to know there’s a variety,” said Dyck.
“There’s lots of different things and they likely will try three, four, five different sports and finally figure out one that’s there’s. But there’s multi-sport, you can do all the things and this is like a good show of all of the different kind of sports that kids can do.”
There were about 35 organizations at Sport Fest with three-quarters of them being staples at the event each year and between eight to 10 new ones. 2
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